


I Thought I Was the Only One - Who Cried Like This

by CookieCatSU



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Grieving, Pearl and Greg are friends, and mourning, becoming friends, kind of sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:41:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25812979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CookieCatSU/pseuds/CookieCatSU
Summary: Greg plays music with Pearl, a long time acquaintance (and newfound friend?), and also reflects on the past.
Relationships: Pearl & Greg Universe, Pearl/Rose Quartz | Pink Diamond, Rose Quartz | Pink Diamond/Greg Universe
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	I Thought I Was the Only One - Who Cried Like This

The wind is cool, even if that night was a muggy, hazy one, overseen by thick, dark clouds. Greg thought it would rain soon, and he swore he could smell the moisture in the air. It tickles against his neck, racing down the back of his shirt, eliciting a little shiver. He clutches on to his guitar.

Pearl sits just beside him, legs dangling off the edge of the van. She herself is minding her own instrument, plucking experimentally at the strings. There's a broken twang, a furrowed brow, shaking fingers pulling strings taut, followed by the faint lilt of notes.

She grumbles in annoyance.

"Ugh… if I can just… get this right,"

She still looks a little lost, clearly still learning, but she's begun to tie a melody together. He recognizes it, as one he taught her recently.

It was soft, and melancholy.

* * *

She folds in on herself, back arching, hands fisting against her knees, trembling, body shaking, ever so slightly, and Greg feels a swell of sympathy building within him, because he'd felt that same way before.

He wants to reach out, to comfort her, but isn't sure she wants to be touched. Isn't sure she wants to be touched by _him_.

She'd hated his guts, just a year ago. Back then, he'd never have imagined that they'd become friends. Heck, he'd never have guessed they'd be able to stand in the same room together. Much less sit side by side, playing guitar in the middle of the night (Talking, like pals do).

The progress they made was unexpected, and _huge_ , and definitely spurred, in part, by Steven. After their trip to Empire City, things had been different. They'd made so much progress that they never would have made otherwise, and Greg thought they were both better for it.

Still, he wasn't sure they were at the point where she'd appreciate or even accept, such a gesture of comfort from him. Not quite so soon. Not yet.

Perhaps, he thinks, he should find one of the other gems. Garnet, or Amethyst, or even Steven. Someone who'd she'd probably rather talk to. Yet, he takes one look at her, shaking, trembling, and knows he can't just _leave_ her there.

Oh geez. Was… was she… oh, she was _crying_.

Oh no.

Without much thought, he wraps his arms around her middle, pulling her into a tight embrace. She squeaks in surprise, tensing up, hands drawing to her sides.

For a moment, Greg feels concerned, wonders if he'd made a mistake. He wasn't going to back out now, though.

"I know you miss her. I do too" A soft hiccup, followed by a faint, comforting squeeze. A hand wraps around his arm, gripping as if for dear life. He wipes a few tears from his own face, "It's okay to feel like that. Like this"

Pearl's arms fall to her sides, as she sniffles

Greg laughs then, wet and aching. Pearl can feel the vibration against her back. She straightens a little, brows knitting together,

"What's so funny?" She asks, and at least for a moment, her angst is replaced by confusion.

"Nothing" Greg smiles at her, and for the first time, Pearl thinks she might see a glimpse of what Rose saw in him, "I just thought I was the only one… who cried like this"

For some reason, until the moment he'd seen her, with wet eyes, he'd been unable to imagine Pearl crying. She was so tough, so strong (still was, even with tears pooling under her eyelids). 

Then, he remembers that she was _human,_ in the ways that count, and he thinks, 'how could you forget?'.

Pearl turns away, is quiet, for several beats.

"Me too" She admits softly.


End file.
